We all have our favorite gold jewelry pieces that we wear often. Sometimes gold jewelry loses its sheen over time and begins to look dull and worn out. Naturally, you would want your jewelry to look as good as new at all times.
Fortunately, whether it is your yellow or white gold rope chain or rose gold rope chain, it is easy to clean them at home and restore their shine.
This guide helps you restore your precious jewelry pieces with some simple DIY tips that you can easily do at home along with instances when you may need professional help.
Read on to know more.
How to Clean Gold Jewelry?
Gold is an inert metal that doesn’t tarnish on its own. But over time, it is known to smudge, look dull, or develop an oily film. This usually happens when your jewelry is exposed to makeup, sweat, dirt, perfume, and more.
But this should not be a reason to push your most-loved pieces to the back of a drawer.
With these tips, your jewelry will keep looking like new always.
Make Sure Your Jewelry is Pure
Before you begin cleaning your jewelry, make sure that it is pure gold. If your piece is not pure, you may end up damaging it during the cleaning process. Here’s how you can confirm this:
· Look for lettering like GP, RGP, and HGE. They indicate if your gold is electroplated.
· Alternatively, look for a hallmark, which is an indicator of the authenticity of the gold.
Mild Cleaning
Did you know that it is super easy to clean jewelry like 10k gold chains, earrings, and bracelets at home? All you need is some household items to keep your jewelry sparkling.
· Warm water
· A mild detergent, baby shampoo, or dishwashing soap
· Soft-bristled brush
· A soft cloth
Step 1: Mix the detergent or shampoo with lukewarm water. Remember not to use hot water as it may tarnish your jewelry.
Step 2: Soak your jewelry in this mix for about ten minutes. This will help loosen the dirt and grime and make it easy to thoroughly clean the jewelry.
Step 3: After ten minutes, clean the jewelry with a soft brush. Make sure you clean all the surfaces including the clasps and other hard-to-reach places like hinges.
Step 4: Rinse the jewelry in clean water to remove the residue of the detergent. The water that you use must be at room temperature.
Step 5: Use a soft lint-free cloth to dry and clean your jewelry. Your jewelry is now ready to wear again!
You can clean your white gold rope chain and rose gold rope chain the same way. The color of gold doesn’t matter as long as you are cleaning your jewelry gently and regularly.
Cleaning Gemstone Gold Jewelry
If your gold jewelry has colored stones, you need to take more care while cleaning it. Some stones such as ruby, diamond, sapphire, rose quartz, and amethyst are safe to clean gently with a mild soap and water mix.
If your jewelry is studded with turquoise, don’t use soap. This stone reacts with the chemicals in the detergent and changes color.
Also, remember never to soak your jewelry when it is studded with emeralds, coral, or pearls. Since these are absorbent, soaking them may lead to discoloration or permanent damage.
Avoid Wear and Tear
Another way to restore shine to your gold jewelry is to be careful when you wear it and take steps to keep it in top condition.
This means removing your gold rings while doing housework. Dirt can scratch your jewelry and settle in its nooks making it lose its sheen. Also avoid wearing your rings when you are working with harsh cleaning products or any other chemicals.
The same goes for chains. Remove your gold chains before you step into the shower. Shower gels are full of chemicals and end up harming your jewelry. Similarly, avoid wearing your jewelry before applying perfumes or lotions. That doesn’t mean you have to stop wearing these. Just spray your perfume and dab your lotion and wait for a few minutes before wearing your gold jewelry.
How Often Should You Clean Your Gold Jewelry?
An important factor that determines how sparkly your gold jewelry stays is the cleaning schedule that you follow. Make sure that you clean it regularly without letting the grime and dirt settle in. When this happens, the built-up dirt often wears down the surface of the jewelry.
To prevent this, give your jewelry a quick cleanup using a soft cloth when you remove it at night. Make sure to give extra attention to fastenings, clasps, and posts.
A quick tip: Not storing the jewelry also makes it lose its glint. The best way to store it is in a soft cloth pouch or a box with a felt lining. Don’t expose it to direct sunlight or heat for a long period. Never store two different metals together as they may scratch and wear out each other’s surface.
Take Help From the Professionals
If you want to restore your gold jewelry to its original shimmery state, a great option is to take it to your jeweler for a professional deep cleaning. Depending on the particular material and gemstones, your jeweler will use the proper technique to clean them.
We recommend taking your jewelry to your jeweler at least once every year to keep it looking like new always.
Summing Up
When you follow these steps regularly, your precious gold jewelry pieces will be as good as brand new. After cleaning your jewelry, if you feel like adding some new pieces to your stash, visit So Icy Jewelry for the purest and most beautiful hand-crafted jewelry. Our jewelry is modern and perfect for self-expression and standing out from the crowds. Get in touch to know about the trending in-season styles.